Director Holloway leaned back in his chair, his expression a mix of awe and concern. "Ms. Bate, I've seen many impressive Quirks in my time, but this... this is unprecedented. You've essentially given yourself an entirely new set of powers. You just essentially broke every single known metric that the world uses to classify Quirks!!"
Cathleen nodded, still marveling at the sensations coursing through her body. "I understand it's a lot to take in, sir. To be honest, I'm still processing it myself. This is the first time I have used it like this. I just felt like I... could."
The director steepled his fingers, his brow furrowed in thought. "The implications of this are staggering. With your New Order Quirk, you could theoretically grant yourself any power you can imagine. It's... well, it's god-like."
The man had been in this business for half a century, yet he had never seen a Quirk be able to grant power of that scale before. And in terms of energy output, He had only seen the monsters in the top 10 capable of giving off such a terrifying aura.
A chill ran down Cathleen's spine at those words. She knew all too well the dangers of unchecked power, both from her memories of the My Hero Academia series and from countless other stories she'd consumed in her previous life. The temptation to abuse such abilities, to play god, was a slippery slope that had led many fictional characters to ruin.
"You're right, sir." she said solemnly. "The potential for misuse is enormous. But that's exactly why I chose this particular power as my first rule."
Holloway raised an eyebrow. "Oh? How so?"
Cathleen took a deep breath, organizing her thoughts. "To become the perfect personification of the belief in being able to do better. I want to be able to inspire everyone that they can achieve greatness. I will save everyone and will not fail no matter what. Just as someone saved me."
Her mind drifted to All Might saving her and her family years prior, with that being what set her on the path of even becoming a hero.
She paused, watching the sunlight play across her hand. "Plus, these powers come with built-in limitations. They're dependent on sunlight, which means I can't become too reliant on them. And they're well-known, iconic abilities. People will understand them, which I hope will make me seem more approachable, less... alien."
'I probably shouldn't tell him that I stockpile the energy, so I would still be overwhelmingly powerful. He's likely going to report this to the military, so it's best not to wind up being an experiment on a table.' Star thought to herself.
The director nodded slowly, a glimmer of approval in his eyes. "That's... remarkably well thought out, Ms. Bate. I'm impressed by your foresight."
"Thank you, sir. I promise to use these abilities, and my New Order Quirk, with the utmost responsibility. My goal is to help people, not to rule over them."
Holloway stood, walking around his desk to stand before Cathleen. He extended his hand. "That's exactly what I wanted to hear. Welcome aboard, Shooting Star."
Cathleen blinked in surprise as she shook his hand. "Shooting Star?"
The director chuckled. "Every hero needs a catchy name. Given your star-based Quirk and this new solar-powered ability, I think it fits. Unless you had something else in mind?"
A warm smile spread across Cathleen's face. "I do have something in mind, but I guess that can work for now." Star spoke.
As if on cue, an alarm blared throughout the office. Holloway's demeanor instantly shifted to one of alert professionalism.
"Looks like you'll get to test out those new powers sooner than expected." he said, striding back to his desk and activating a holographic display. "We've got a situation in downtown Chicago. A villain with a mutation-type Quirk is rampaging through the financial district."
Cathleen felt a surge of adrenaline, her enhanced senses already picking up the distant sounds of chaos. "What are my orders, sir?"
Holloway met her gaze, his expression grave. "Contain the situation, minimize civilian casualties, and apprehend the villain if possible. But be careful, Shooting Star. This is your first official mission, and we don't yet know the full extent of your capabilities."
Cathleen nodded, a determined set to her jaw. "Understood, sir. I won't let you down."
With a burst of super-speed that surprised even her, Cathleen dashed out of the office, through the corridors, and to the roof of the building. As she stood on the edge, the wind whipping through her hair, the reality of her situation hit her anew.
This was it. Her first real test as a hero. No more mundane college life, no more feeling lost and purposeless. She had been given an extraordinary gift – a second chance at life in a world where she could truly make a difference.
Cathleen took a deep breath, focusing on the sounds of the city below. She could hear screams, the crunch of metal, the heavy footfalls of what must be the mutant villain. With her enhanced vision, she spotted the disturbance several blocks away – a hulking figure, easily fifteen feet tall, smashing cars and tossing them aside like toys.
For a brief moment, fear threatened to paralyze her. What if she wasn't ready? What if she made a mistake and people got hurt?
But then she felt it – the merging of Sarah's determination to do something meaningful with her life and Cathleen's unwavering heroic spirit. She was more than either of them alone. She was Shooting Star, a new hero for a world that desperately needed one.
With a soft whoosh, Cathleen lifted off from the rooftop, her body cutting through the air with ease. As she soared towards the chaos, picking up speed, she felt a surge of exhilaration. This was what she was meant for.
The wind rushed past her as she descended towards the financial district, her mind racing with possibilities. She had the strength and speed of Superman, yes, but she also had the reality-warping potential of New Order. Most problems could be solved by just one, but with both, she could be akin to a monster.
As she neared the scene, Cathleen could see panicked civilians fleeing in all directions. The mutant villain, a monstrous amalgamation of human and what looked like various marine animals, was using its massive tentacle-like arms to overturn vehicles and smash through storefronts.
Cathleen's enhanced hearing picked up the villain's roar: "Where are your precious heroes now? Is there no one who can stand against Kraken?"
A grim smile played across Shooting Star's lips as she prepared to make her entrance. "Oh, there's someone alright." she muttered to herself. "And I'm just getting started."
With a sonic boom that shattered nearby windows, Cathleen burst onto the scene, positioning herself between the villain and a group of cornered civilians. She hovered a few feet off the ground, her cape billowing dramatically behind her, hoping to project an image of confidence and hope.
"That's enough, Kraken." she called out, her voice carrying easily over the chaos. "I'm giving you one chance to stand down peacefully."
The villain turned, his grotesque face contorting in a sneer. "And who are you supposed to be, little girl? Some new sidekick playing at being a hero?"
Cathleen felt a flicker of annoyance, but she squashed it ruthlessly. She might be new, but she had power beyond this villain's wildest dreams. More importantly, she had the will to use that power for good.
"I'm Shooting Star." she declared, her voice ringing with conviction, yet the name just didn't sound right to her. "And I'm here to stop you."
Kraken let out a bellowing laugh. "Stop me? You and what army?"
In response, Cathleen's eyes began to glow with barely contained power. "You're looking at it." she said softly, though that seemed to infuriate the man.
With that, she launched herself at Kraken, moving faster than the human eye could follow.
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